Our Week in Review

This past week we all learned a bit about the presidency of John Quincy Adams. He had a rather frustrating single term with an uncooperative Congress, but as a man he was extremely honest and fair. We also learned about the building of the Erie Canal, which was an amazing engineering feat of its time due to the many locks that were required for barges to navigate the 565 foot difference in height between the western and eastern ends of the canal. Once it was completed, supplies that used to take a month or more to make it to Buffalo now took only a week! We also learned about the deaths of former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the same day in 1826. As it happened, they both died on the 50th birthday of our country, July 4th. Even as the country celebrated that day, they mourned the loss of these two great patriots who had served their country so well. Here are some of the books the boys used in their studies this week:



Our daughter learned all of the above, and in addition she began reading about the early history of the great state of Texas! Here are some of the books she used:


In Science we continued learning about birds - how they fly, glide, and soar (and the difference between those terms), and a little bit about migration.

I made more of an effort to spend time with the younger two boys this week - something I am freshly commited to. It is always a precious time with them!

Here is Little Man surrounded by his paint with water artwork! He outgrew his Little Tikes table with this project, so we just spread a sheet on the floor and let him go to town. I think he painted over 20 pictures that day!


Robert McCloskey is one of our favorite children's authors. Here we are enjoying his book "Lentil".


Our sons G and L had to make some kind of castle for their Medieval World class at co-op. G chose to build a lego castle, while L chose to build a castle out of sugar cubes. That was HARD!


Here is the finished product! See the "keep" on the right side of the walled enclosure? The small protrusion on the left side is a well.


How I thank the Lord for the privilege of teaching and learning with my children at home!